Locking means for incandescent lamps



L. F. COLE.

LOCKING MEANS FOR INCANDESCENT LAMPS.

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24. 191B. 1,314,388.

Patented Aug. 26, 1919.`

i @Homufs UNITED sTATEsPATENT OFFICE.

LUTHER F. COLE, or SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, AssIGNoR or ONE-HALF To EARL H.

'LOCKING MEANS FOR INCANDESCENT LAMPS Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

Application led .Tune 24, 1918. Serial No. 241,606.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LUTHER F. Conn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Sacramento, in the county of Sacramento and State of California, have invented ccrltain new and useful ,Improvements 1n Locking Means .for Incandescent Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in electric incandescent lamps, and an object of the invention is to provide-a lamp and socket structure which are arranged 'whereby the base of the lamp bulb may be easily inserted .into the socket, but when once inserted it cannot-be removed without .destroying one of the contacts of the lamp and thereby ren- 'frangible tongue before the bulbcan be removed.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the following detailed description, taken in connection lwith the accompanying draw` ing, forming a part of this specification', and in which drafwing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, showing parts in'section of the bulb and socket connected.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation showing parts in section of the bulb and Socket connected and taken at right angles to Fig. 1.

l Fig. 3 isa horizontal section on the line 3-3 of- Fig.l 1.

"the socket 1. The brass or metal shell sur- Fig. 4 a detail perspective of the contact and locking arm, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View of a modified form of theybase of an incandescent lamp bulb.

' Referring more. particularly to the drawing, 1 designatesthe socketmember as an entirety, yWhile'the bulb is indicated by thc numeral 2,. yThe bulb 2 may be of the ordinary' construction of electric incandescent lamp bulbs, .comprising the base plug 3 which is inserted in the contact shell 4 of rounding the base or plug 3, contacting with the brass shell 4 forms one contact for the circuit through the lamp bulb and the other contact is formed through the engagement between a frangible tongue 5 formed upon the base contact 6 of the lamp bulb and a contact and locking arm 7 carried by the socket member 1.

The contact and locking arm 7 is seated in the ordinary recess 8 formed in the insulatin or porcelain plug 9 of the socket memer and it comprises a horizontal attaching portion 10 which is attached to the porcelain plug 9, an angular portion 11 and a depending arm 12 upon the lower ,end of rwhich is formed an arcuate transversely cxtending projection 13. The inclined contact portion 11 adjustably carl'ics a binding screw 14 by means of which one of the circuit con'- ducting wires which convey the current to the lamp bulb is connected to the contact and locking arin structure 7 vtV The arcuate transversely ertending p1'ojection 13 which is formed at the lower end of the depending arm.12 has a notch 15 formed therein which is equal vin length or slightly greater than the width ,of the frangiblc tongue 5. The socket or notch 15 receives the frangible tongue 5 when the plug or base 3 of the bulb 2 is entirely inserted within the socket member. The upper surface of the outer end of the projection 13 is convexly curved and leads, from thc point 16 upwardly to the outer end of the notch 15 in a fout first breaking the tongue 5. When the tongue 5 is broken, it will, naturally destroy the contacts, and vrender the bulb 2 useless. If it is so desired, the tongue 5 may be made soy of such material, that inrotating the bulb 2 t'o remove it from the socket, the tongue will7 by engaging against the arm 12 twist the central base Contact 6` ofi' the bulb, thus completcly destroying the utility of the bulb and preventing its use with ordinary lamp sockets.- The circuit is closed through the lamp bulb 2, in the ordinary manner by the operation of the switch button 18.

In Fig. 5 of the dra-wing, the tongue 5a is shown as formed separately from the central base contact 6 and it may be attached thereto in any suitable manner, such as soldering as indicated at 7.

Fromthe foregoing description, and the drawing,it will be apparent that an incandescent electric lamp bulb and socket has been provided,'which will forni a firm and positive contact between the central base contact of the lamp bulb and its companion contact of the socket, as well as securely lock the'lamp bulb connected to the socket, in such manner as to render the bulb useless, after it has been removed from connection with the socket, thereby eliniinating the liability of theft of the bulb.

, Having thus fully describedthe invention7 what is' claimed is: v

1. The combination with an incandescent 'lamp and socket therefor, ot means for lock .against rotation with respect to the socket.

2. The combination with an electric incandescent lamp and socket therefor, of

means for locking the lamp and socket in.

connected relation comprising a contact and locking arm carried inthe socket, and a. frangible tongiiefornied iipon the central hase contact' ot' the lamp and engaged by said contact and locking arin to Jlorin an electrical connection between the bulb and Contact portion, a binding screw carried by said inclined portion. and a depending arm extending downwardly from the lower edge Y of the inclinedportion, and atransvcrscly extcndirg arcuate rprojection formed upon the lower end of said arm and'piovidcd withi, a socket in its uppei` edge, the upper edge of said projection inclinlng upwardly toward said socket., and a tongue carried by the base of the lamp and adapted to be engagcd in said projection carried socket to lock the lainp against rotation with respect .to the socket.

4. The combination with anelcctiic incandescent lamp and' socket thcrelpr, of

meansv forl locking the lamp and socket in connection relation comprislng a contact and locking arm carried in the socket, said arm including an attacbin portion, an inclined contact portion, a binding screw carried by said inclined portion, and a depending `armi extending downwardly from the` upwardly toward said socket, and a tongue carried by the base of the ',lamp and adapted to be engaged in said projection carried socket ,to lock the lamp againstI rotation with respect to the socket, said tongue being connected to the central base coniact of the lamp for forming an electrical connection between the lamp and contact and locking arm.

5. The combination with an electric incandescent lamp and sockettherefor, of

means for locking the lamp and socketv inconnected relation comprising an arm car.-

ried by the socket, a transversely extending` projection formed upon the lower end cf said arm and provided with a notch in itsupper surface, a tongue carried by the lamp` and adapted to be enga-ged in said notch..

to-lock the lamp against rotation with respect'to the socket. i

(i. The combination with an electric incandescent lamp and socket therefor, of `a Contact and locking arm carried by the socket and provided with a notch, a spring Acontact tongue carried by the bulb and adapted to seating in said notch whereby thc contact arm will be broken from the bulb upon disconnection of. the bulb and socket.

7. The combination with an electric in-` candescent. lamp and socket therefor, of'a contact and lockin; r arm carried by said socket, a. transverse projection torlned'iipon` Said arm and `provided with a notcln'said projection having an inclined head formed isoV therein leading to said notch, al springr contact tongue carried by the bulb and adapted for seating in said notch, whereby the contact. tongue `will be broken troni the bulb upon disconnection ot the bulb and's'ocket.

8. The combination with an electric incandesccnt lamp and socket,therefor` of a means for locking the lamp and socket'in connected relation. comprising a Socket car-v i iicd receiving member and a spring contact tongue carried by the bulb and adapted for` seating in said receivin, f member whereby the contact tongue will be broken yfrom the bulb upon disconnection of the bulb and socket.

LUTHER i? ifi-tl?. 

